# YouTube MCP server > Search YouTube, read channels and videos, and pull comments and transcripts from Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor. Hosted and read-only, with no Google Cloud project or API key. ## Connect One server URL for every client: `https://mcp.manifoldmcp.com/mcp`, streamable HTTP, with OAuth or an API key as a bearer token. Every workspace starts with 500 free credits and no card. - [Claude](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/claude): Go to Settings, then Connectors, and add a custom connector. Paste the URL and sign in. - [Claude Code](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/claude-code): Run this, then /mcp to sign in. `claude mcp add --transport http manifold https://mcp.manifoldmcp.com/mcp` - [ChatGPT](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/chatgpt): Turn on developer mode. Go to Settings, then Apps & Connectors, and choose Create. Paste the URL. - [Codex](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/codex): Run this, then codex mcp login manifold to sign in. `codex mcp add manifold --url https://mcp.manifoldmcp.com/mcp` - [Cursor](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/cursor): One click, or paste the URL in the MCP section of Cursor Settings. - [Gemini CLI](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/gemini): Run this, then /mcp auth manifold to sign in. `gemini mcp add --transport http manifold https://mcp.manifoldmcp.com/mcp` - [Grok](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/grok): Go to Settings, then Connectors, and add a connector. Paste the URL and sign in. - [Grok Bot](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/grok-bot): Paste this to the bot. It adds Manifold and asks you to sign in. `Add the Manifold MCP server as a plugin: https://mcp.manifoldmcp.com/mcp.` - [OpenCode](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/opencode): Run opencode mcp add, choose Remote and paste the URL. - [Any other client](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients/other): Add it as a remote MCP server in any other client. ## What your agent can do on YouTube - [`youtube_get_channel`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_channel): Get a YouTube channel. One YouTube channel: subscribers, total views and when it joined. From 1 credit. - [`youtube_get_videos`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_videos): Get a channel's videos. The videos on one YouTube channel, newest or most viewed first. From 1 credit. - [`youtube_get_video`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_video): Get a YouTube video. One YouTube video with its views, likes, comments and length. From 1 credit. - [`youtube_get_comments`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_comments): Get a video's comments. The comments on one YouTube video, most liked first. From 1 credit. - [`youtube_search_videos`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_search_videos): Search YouTube videos. YouTube videos matching a keyword, ranked by YouTube's own search. From 1 credit. - [`youtube_get_transcript`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_transcript): Get a video's transcript. The transcript of one YouTube video, as text. From 1 credit. Every parameter and return field: [YouTube tools in the docs](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube.md). ## Transcripts without a Google Cloud project YouTube’s Data API needs a Google Cloud project, a key and a daily quota, and it only downloads captions for videos you own. Manifold is one URL. | | Open-source servers | YouTube Data API | Manifold | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Needs a Google API key | Usually | Yes | No | | Transcript of any public video | Some, by scraping | Your own videos only | Yes | | Search, channels and comments | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Daily quota to manage | Yours | 10,000 units a day | None, pay per call | | Works in Claude.ai and ChatGPT | Rarely, local only | No | Yes, hosted | | Setup | Install and key | Cloud project | Paste one URL | ## Things to ask - Find the most-watched videos on cold email from the last year and summarise how each one opens. - Pull the transcript of this video and list every tool it mentions: [video URL] - What do commenters ask most under our competitor’s latest video? - How often does this channel post, and which of its videos did best? [channel URL] - Find YouTube creators who review CRMs and list their subscriber counts. - Turn this webinar recording into a blog outline: [video URL] ## Pay per call - Get a YouTube channel: From 1 credit - Get a channel's videos: From 1 credit - Get a YouTube video: From 1 credit - The same answer again, from the cache: 25% or less Details: [pricing](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/pricing.md) and [how credits work](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/credits.md). ## Questions about the YouTube MCP ### Can it get the transcript of any YouTube video? Any public video with speech. Your agent gets what is said as text, which it can summarise, quote or search. It is one of the cheapest calls on the server. [YouTube tools in the docs](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube.md). ### Do I need a YouTube or Google API key? No. Manifold is hosted and reads YouTube through a data provider, so there is no Google Cloud project, no key and no daily quota to watch. Google does not publish a YouTube MCP server of its own. ### Can my agent upload, comment or like videos? No. Every tool is read-only. Your agent watches and reports; you decide what to post. ### Which clients does it work with? Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Grok, OpenCode and any other client that connects to a remote MCP server. Sign in with OAuth, or use an API key from the dashboard for scripts. [Setup guides for every client](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/clients.md). ### Does it work for Shorts? Yes. Shorts are YouTube videos, so search, comments, stats and transcripts work the same way. For short video on other platforms, the TikTok and Instagram tools are on the same server. [TikTok MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/tiktok.md). ## Pairs well with YouTube - [TikTok MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/tiktok.md): Videos, creators, transcripts and audiences. - [Instagram MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/instagram.md): Accounts, posts, reels and hashtags. - [Reddit MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/reddit.md): Threads, comments and subreddits. - [Facebook MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/facebook.md): Pages, posts, groups and comments. - [X (Twitter) MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/twitter.md): Accounts, recent posts and replies. - [SEO MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/seo.md): Keywords, rankings, backlinks and audits. - [LinkedIn MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/linkedin.md): Posts, profiles and company pages. - [AI visibility MCP](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/ai-visibility.md): What ChatGPT, Gemini and others say and cite. - [All MCP servers](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp.md)